Reduction In Property Gain Tax; Fast Food Experiment; (Another) Bomb Scare At Basel EuroAirport 

News For 14 June 2022

The government of Basel Stadt announced today that it had completed a process to "simplify" the tax on gains from sale of real estate.  Starting in January 2023, those selling their homes, and especially those with large gains in the value of their property, will find that the tax bite will be smaller.  The government will be foregoing an estimated 4-7 million Swiss Francs in annual revenues as a result of the reduced tariff.  Although the vote on the topic passed 52 to 43, those opposed were concerned that lower property gains tax would increase speculation and housing costs in an already expensive market.

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Basel's Burger King outlet is selling only 100% plant-based food products for the next few weeks.  In an attempt to test the market's reception of beef and meat alternatives, the global fast-food chain has temporarily rebranded and is testing its concept globally and in Basel.  Burger King hopes that the new category of food at its outlets will enhance its sustainability efforts, and peoples' diet and health.

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It seems another bomb scare led to the evacuation of the Euroairport last Wednesday, only days after another similar incident.  The culprit was yet another abandoned piece of luggage, which these days, automatically causes airport security to follow an evacuation and service interruption protocol.  Fortunately, by late evening, operations had returned to normal. No word yet from the airport communications team on why abandoned luggage keeps turning up nor how they plan to address the increase in incidents.